Rikairu Graffiti
by Ari Powwel
Summary: [rating subject to change without notice] A collection of unrelated drabbles from various challenges, all tied together by one central idea... RikuKairi OTP. [four: and he watched as she swam out into the ocean, never to return...]
1. I: Swing, Swing

**Title Explanation:** Let's play 'Imagine.' Imagine you're walking through a town, and you reach the underside of a bridge. Picture all the graffiti sprayed over the walls. Now I want you to imagine the words 'Riku/Kairi OTP' scrawled over everything in red and blue, taller than you are.  
_That_ is Rikairu Graffiti. (_smiles_)

**Disclaimer:** Ari does not claim ownership of the characters or settings below; she has merely taken them for her own devices. She does not claim these to be the true or false implications of the real owners of _Kingdom Hearts_, but feel free to take them as such!

**Origin: **This drabble was written for _Insert Phrase_, a drabble community on LiveJournal.  
**Phrases Used:** 23) "Next time, I lead and you follow." as well as 49) "You look gorgeous."

**Suggested Music**:What else? _Kiss Me_, by Sixpence None the Richer.

**Rikairu Graffiti  
**_I — Swing, Swing _

_

* * *

_

_Kiss me, beside the bearded barley  
__Lightly, beside the green, green grass_

She wonders when she receives the note; he can see it in her eyes. He smiles to himself, settling down to lean against the side of her house. The window above him is open; he hears her humming to herself.

Why does she make him wait for so long? He tugs on one strand of silver hair before catching himself, draping his arms over his knees and leaning his head back to rest against the siding. He's started the dance, made the move to lead, but it's up to her whether or not to follow.

_Swing, swing, swing the spinning step  
__You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress_

It's nearly dark when she says that to him, leaning out the window so that her hair almost brushes his forehead. He responds with a smile, waiting until she goes back inside to jump up and rush home to prepare.

He doesn't want to seem too eager.

But she's watching him, sitting on her bed, hands folded properly. She waits for him to leap up, an elated grin upon his face, and as he darts away, she giggles.

And then she turns back to her bureau to finish preparing, tying a periwinkle ribbon around her neck in a bow.

_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight  
__Lead me out on the moonlit floor_

By the time he reaches her door again, the sun is setting. They sit on her porch for a while, silent as they watch the sun retire for the night, and then he tentatively reaches for her hand. When she smiles at him, interlacing her fingers with his, he is visibly relieved—she almost giggles because he is so nervous. They walk to the docks, and as he rows them to Twilight Isle, they talk quietly, never approaching the subject of just what they're doing.

He helps her out of the small boat and they walk, walk until they reach the shack that allows them to the bridge. They cross slowly, arm-in-arm, but when they reach the end, he steps ahead of her, turning back to offer his hand in a dance.

_Lift your open hand  
__Strike up the band and make the fireflies  
__Dance, silver moon sparkling_

She giggles a little as she takes the proffered hand, placing one hand on his shoulder as he gently places his on her waist. Is he still nervous? She shakes her head ever-so-slightly, the smile never fading, and as the tape player hidden under the paopu tree begins to play a tune, she sighs happily, wrapping her arm almost around his neck and laying her head on his shoulder.

He is surprised, she knows, but he recovers soon enough, curling his arm tighter around her waist. 'You look—' he starts, but his voice is so hoarse that he has to stop and start again. 'You look _gorgeous_.'

She looks up at him with an almost shy smile. 'Thank you,' she murmurs, leaning her head back to his shoulder. She starts to say something more, but doesn't know what words will accomplish, and so she remains silent for several moments, feet moving without thought to the beat of the music. She wonders what thoughts are running through his head, wonders if he has the courage to do what she so desperately wants. She doesn't know.

She doesn't know . . .

The song on the tape finishes; there are several moments of silence before the next will start up again. She raises her head from his shoulder, looking up at him, looking at the anxiousness in his eyes. He wants to, she knows, but he's afraid to—afraid that she would rebuke him for it?

She will _not_ initiate this.

'Kairi?'

The question is quiet, his voice almost wavering and cracking. She smiles again, leaning into his shoulder yet again. 'Yes?'

He swallows hard, Adam's apple bobbing slightly, and licks his lips before beginning. 'Kairi . . . would it be a horrible thing for me to kiss you?'

She smiles again, eyes closing as she replies, 'No. That would be simply _wonderful_.'

_So kiss me_

His fingers tilt her chin upwards gently, and his lips slowly touch to hers, such a gently brush she isn't sure he's kissing her. She rises up onto her tiptoes, a hand on either of his shoulders to steady herself, startling him as she deepens the kiss. She doesn't push the kiss any further than mere contact; there will be plenty of time for that on later days.

_So kiss me_

As she lowers back to the ground, his eyes open slowly, a crooked smile coming to his lips. 'You were waiting for that, weren't you?' he accuses, still looking awed.

She shrugs. 'Next time, I lead and you follow. Then maybe we'll get to that part sooner.'

Riku just grins.


	2. II: Early Morning Chill

**Disclaimer:** Ari does not claim ownership of the characters or settings below; she has merely taken them for her own devices. She does not claim these to be the true or false implications of the real owners of _Kingdom Hearts_, but feel free to take them as such!

**Notes:** To 'flame!': Thanks for the flame. I gave it to Riku in this next drabble, seeing as it's so cold on Destiny Islands right now. :D

**Origin:** A drabble for _flutteriffic_, another community on LiveJournal.

**Suggested Music: **_Between_, by Vienna Teng.

**Rikairu Graffiti  
**_II — Early-Morning Chill_

_

* * *

_

It was unnaturally cold that morning.

He shivered slightly, pulling the blankets up to his chin and tucking them as best he could around his body, then rolling to the side and curling into a ball.

He wouldn't be moving this morning. It was too cold, he reasoned, and most everyone else on the islands would be staying in bed as well. In a few hours, the sun would have banished the clouds away and the sun would have warmed the room to a comfortable eighty degrees. At the moment, outside his window was fog. Fog so thickly white he couldn't see past to the trees that surrounded the house.

Another good reason not to move. If he left for the islands like he'd been meaning to, he could easily get lost and end up at another island.

An arm poked out of the blankets, rubbing his eyes. Who was he kidding? He'd woken up already, and wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. Unless he got up and began moving, all he'd be able to think about was how cold it was.

Finally sighing, Riku rose from bed, quickly pulling his pants and a shirt from the dresser before heading into the bathroom. He showered and dressed quickly, then left the house, locking the door and tucking the key into his back pocket. Kairi would be at the island already—he had to wonder if she was ever late for anything—and Sora would still be in bed, pointedly ignoring his mother's warnings that he would miss breakfast. Riku smirked in amusement, biting into an apple as he passed the tree-chair that marked the halfway point between the shore and his home. The only thing more important to Sora than food was sleeping—or perhaps sparring. Or Kairi.

Riku frowned as he took another bite, absentmindedly trailing a hand along the bushes as he passed. It was obvious he liked Kairi, the way he was constantly looking her way, then looking away hurriedly when she turned toward him. The way he avoided touching her, but wasn't afraid to sling an arm over Selphie's shoulders when asking for a favour. The way he looked at her when she was talking. It both amused and irritated Riku, for nearly the same reason. He believed that if Sora liked Kairi, he should let her know, and didn't like that the boy wouldn't admit it.

Of course, he didn't know if he'd admit to liking her, either.

It was all fair and well while saying it to himself, but when it came to saying it aloud, Riku drew the line. He didn't know what kept him from saying it, but whenever he came close, he'd shake his head and sigh. He couldn't help liking her. She always had a kind word for anyone who needed it, and wasn't as aggravated by children as he could be. When he was ready to tell someone to just get over something, Kairi would show them how it had helped them. She had a tendency to see the light in the darkness, and that was what he loved about her.

The trip to the island was perilous; if he hadn't rowed to the island so many times before, he probably would have found himself at another island. However, he reached the dock without problem and lashed his boat to a pole carefully, watching the surf make it sway slightly in the water.

Once assured that the boat wouldn't drift off, Riku loped toward the smaller island, the one with the paopu tree. He was sure Kairi would be there; they met there every morning. As he crossed the bridge, her figure appeared, sitting with her back to him, staring out into the fog. 'Morning,' he murmured, coming to a stop just behind her left shoulder.

'Morning,' Kairi greeted back, eyes never straying from the horizon.

'How're you?' asked Riku, sitting himself on the ground next to her. He rested his elbow on his left knee, turning to look at her as she answered.

'_Cold_,' she said, somehow managing to sound upset and irritated at once. 'The fog's really thick today, isn't it?'

'Yeah,' agreed Riku, turning back to the sea. 'Like a dead man's fog . . .'

They both smiled at each other momentarily. The dead man's fog was a reference to an old pirate tale, about a ship that brought with it a fog so thick it held people's doors shut. Not that they would have wanted to open them, of course, lest the pirates raiding the town killed them, as well, but it was said that the fog brought with it the souls of the people the pirates had killed, desperate to keep more from suffering their fate.

There was silence, then. An odd, awkward silence that had never graced their presence before. Then—

'I had a dream last night,' Kairi said abruptly, glancing over at him.

He was interested. Many of the elders of the islands had proclaimed that any dream you had would come to pass, a theory that most believed. Riku himself didn't hold much stock in these anymore, after once having a dream that he'd found himself travelling between worlds in seconds. How could that ever happen? It wouldn't. 'What was it about?' he asked.

Kairi took a deep breath, closing her eyes in thought. She looked up at him, biting her lip, and he was startled to see she was close to tears. 'The three of us.'

He waited. She wouldn't have confided to having a dream if she hadn't wanted to share it.

'We were all in a large hall, with stairs leading either way to the top of another, raised platform. Sora ran up the stairs and saw you, and you two exchanged words. I can't remember all of it, but I remember him telling you to give your heart back to you. Only he didn't say that. He said 'Give Riku's heart back to him.' I was trying to tell Sora that it was you, that I was sure it was you, but he didn't listen. He didn't even acknowledge me. It was like . . . like I wasn't even there. But I _was_ there, too; I could see myself lying on the other side of the dais. But then you—' She stopped short, closing her eyes and taking another deep breath.

'You and Sora attacked each other. With actual swords. Neither of you had any of the protective clothing fencers usually wear, and it really looked as though you two were trying to kill each other. It scared me so badly, Riku, I woke up crying.' She looked up at him. 'Please tell me it's not going to happen. Please, Riku.'

His own thoughts were whirling, repeating what Kairi had said. But the thought that grabbed his attention the most was her final statement, and before he realised it, he'd repeated, 'It's not going to happen, Kairi. I swear. Why would Sora and I try to kill each other? And why wouldn't you be able to stop him? The way I've heard it, the dreams that come true are from your own point of view, not from an omniscient point in space.'

'You're right.' Kairi tried to smile, looking away. 'It was stupid. But it scared me.'

'Of course it would,' Riku nodded. 'It would have scared me, too.'

He reached out a hand, resting it on her shoulder. 'It won't happen. I'll _never_ let anything happen to you, Kairi. I promise.'

'That's good,' Kairi murmured, leaning against him slightly. She needed reassurance. 'Don't ever forget that, Riku.'

'I won't,' he whispered, moving to sit behind her so that she could lean back. 'You've my word.'

There was silence again, but this time it was a companionable silence. The secrets had come out, and now it was merely relaxing to be like this. Kairi was leaning sideways against his chest, still watching the sea, and his arms encircled her waist, one of her own hands laying on top of them. The other hand plucked idly at the fibres in his shirt, tugging the shirt away from his body first, then letting it fall back.

Riku lowered his head to hers, nuzzling her hair gently. Her eyes fluttered closed as he did so, the corners of her mouth turning up in a little smile, and he smiled slightly himself, bending his head to plant a small kiss at the base of her neck, trailing kisses toward her shoulder. He felt a small shudder go through her body and smiled again as he brought her hand up to his mouth, kissing the fingertips. He twined his fingers within hers slowly, rubbing his thumb over her fingers gently as he lowered it to her side. The waves broke along the shoreline softly, with a calming sound as the water rushed back out to sea.

He never wanted this moment to end.

After a couple moments of this, merely staring at the sea, Riku felt Kairi's free hand move, reaching up and grabbing the back of his head, pulling him down to her level. For a moment he was nervous—was she offended?—but before he could stutter an apology, she was smiling and kissing him full on the lips.

Riku felt the relief coursing through him as she kissed him; so he _hadn't_ done anything wrong. Her lips were soft against his, parted slightly as she nipped at his own, sending what almost felt like a jolt of electricity through him. He heard her sighing as his own lips parted, and soon he was sighing as well, sighing in happiness as she deepened the kiss, exploring his own mouth tentatively.

But all good things must come to an end, and as both parted to breathe again, he found himself wishing humans could go without air. Kairi tapped his nose once, giggling slightly, and moved again, so that she was back to leaning against his chest like before.

He closed his eyes, very aware of the smile that was probably upon his face right now, but found he didn't mind. Kairi had kissed him. And he'd kissed her, as well. However, _Kairi_ had kissed _him_. He hadn't initiated that kiss; she'd done it of her own free will.

_I will always protect you, Kairi_. _Even in death, I won't let anything happen to you_.

. . . _I promise_.


	3. III: Footprints

**Disclaimer:** Ari does not claim ownership of the characters or settings below; she has merely taken them for her own devices. She does not claim these to be the true or false implications of the real owners of _Kingdom Hearts_, but feel free to take them as such!

**Notes:** Thank you for all of the lovely reviews, everyone. (_smiles_) They brighten my day. However, this will be the last update of _Rikairu Graffiti_ until next Tuesday/Wednesday, as I'll be leaving for Florida in about twelve hours. I shall update again when I return!

**Origin:** A drabble written for _KH Drabble_, yet another community on LiveJournal. This drabble was written under the challenge of _Kodak Moment_.

**Suggested Music:** (_guiltily shuts off the Ojamajo Doremi music_) Eh… either _Hymn of the Fayth (Piano)_ or _Suteki da Ne_, both from Final Fantasy X.

**Rikairu Graffiti  
**_III _— _Footsteps_

* * *

The waves broke upon the sand gently, whisking tanned grains back into the ocean's depths, pulling them from the island, making it shrink that much more. The crest of the wave, white and foaming, soaked into the sand, inching its way ever-so-slowly toward the two sets of footprints that meandered through the sand, first taking long, languorous steps, then suddenly quickening.

Although they remained, they did nothing to portray the shrieks and giggles that had filled the air only a few minutes prior, as one, taking a sunset walk along the water, had been ambushed by another.

It didn't tell of how she'd darted in dizzying circles around him, while he watched with a thin smile upon his pale lips.

It didn't illustrate how she'd suddenly pounced on him, squealing in delight as he, in reflex, swept her up off the sand, laughing as he strode forward, regardless of the 'attacks' that rained down upon his shoulders: a hail of kisses, tongue tracing over his collarbone, nipping at the wiry muscle that ran beneath the skin.

All the footprints did was lead to where they now fought in the sand, wrestling and laughing. Kairi shrieked as Riku grabbed her around the waist, hefting her over his shoulder and grinning at her. She reached down, poking his side, and he shouted in indignance, almost losing his grip on her legs. However, it proved enough to overbalance him, for he tripped backwards and fell to the ground, Kairi squirming upright and straddling his chest, her knees on either side of his stomach and her hands on either wrist, held tightly and pressed into the sand.

'Pinned ya,' she grinned at him, her face hovering over his own, crimson locks just brushing his cheekbones.

He turned his face to the side, allowing one long finger to reach from where it was pinned in the sand to brush away a piece of hair. 'Chance,' he quipped, smirking at her.

'Chance,' Kairi repeated doubtfully. 'Chance? Chance _this_!'

And then she kissed him.

She felt him smile against her lips before his own parted, tongue darting out to touch her own. Kairi's hands left his wrists, allowing his hands to wrap around her waist as she twined hers into his hair.

'You realise, of course, that you just lost,' murmured Riku, somewhat clumsily due to Kairi's mouth still pressed to his own.

Kairi didn't respond with words, only with a questioning sound—and then she drew back with a squeak, toppling over as Riku suddenly sat up, grinning.

The first stars appeared in the dark sky as their battle began anew, twinkling in merriment as they observed the two.

'Riku, don't you _dare_ get that sand in my ha—'

'_Hmm?_ What was that again?'

'Aagh! Okay, that _does_ it!'

'No! Wait! I'm sorry!'

'Too late now!'

The giggling and shrieking that followed was almost obligatory, as were the thoughts of love and revenge that flickered through each mind. Neither thought about the troubles that pressed on their mind; both were enthralled to be in each other's presence. Both dreaded the day they would have to explain to their friends, but were content to leave it for another night.

In the morning, the sand would bear no sign of their camaraderie.


	4. IV: Swimming Alone

**Disclaimer:** Ari does not claim ownership of the characters or settings below; she has merely taken them for her own devices. She does not claim these to be the true or false implications of the real owners of _Kingdom Hearts_, but feel free to take them as such!

**Notes:** (_waves cheerfully, smiling_) Hello, everyone! As you've probably guessed, I'm back from Florida. It was nice to come back to all those reviews. (_grins_) But I'm guessing you want to read this drabble, so I won't chatter on and on.

**Origin: **A drabble for _flutteriffic_.

**Suggested Music:** Either _Eyes On Me_, from Final Fantasy VIII, or _Suteki da Ne_, from Final Fantasy X.

**Rikairu Graffiti  
**_IV — Swimming Alone_

* * *

He wondered how the sun could shine so brightly as she swam.

He wondered why the birds were twittering cheerfully as she swam.

He wondered why he wasn't running after her as she swam, running and crying and calling for her to come back like most children seemed to do.

It was the last time he would see his mother, and yet, he couldn't do anything except stand there numbly, staring after her, eyes locked on the paopu fruit she was holding to her breast.

It had come early that morning. He had woken silently, as he always seemed to do, in the middle of the night, eyes only opening slightly, enough to see her from under long lashes. She'd come to his bed, surveying his 'sleeping' form, then leaned down, kissing him softly on the forehead before whispering, 'I swim at dawn,' and leaving the room.

She had smelled of paopus.

He watched her as she passed the edge of the islands, swimming out further than most dared to go. There was a high danger of being pulled along in the undertow. Yet . . . she wanted this. He narrowed his eyes against the glare of the sun on the waters, keeping an eye focused on her hair, shining brightly in the morning light.

He did not look away as her head finally slipped beneath the waves, failing to resurface this time, paopu bobbing to the surface soon after.

Beside him, Kairi nudged him slightly. He gave a slight nod, finally closing his eyes and swallowing hard. As his eyes reopened, he lifted his chin, trying to make himself look stronger than he felt, and raised his left arm. 'In remembrance,' he declared, listening to his voice echoing around the cove.

'In remembrance,' came the reply, a rumbling chorus of voices. He looked behind him, startled at the sight of so many people. He hadn't known about her swim until that early morning; how had everyone else found out?

He stepped off the rock, his two friends following him down and through the crowd, striding confidently away. He couldn't show his weakness by crying. His father had instructed him not to cry when _he_ had taken the swim, and per his wishes, he hadn't. But back then, he had had his mother's hand to hold, the sound of her voice leading the remembrance call. He had had her strength to guide him, to comfort him when he had realised that his father would not be back.

And now _she_ was gone, as well.

Who could he rely on now?

No-one. He would have to find his own strength.

His pace quickened as he rounded the turn that would lead away from the cove, a twisting path leading further back into the islands. He heard them behind him, but he didn't want anyone to come with him. His pain was his own. He couldn't force it on anyone else. He wouldn't force that pain on _anyone_.

He was running, now, running from everything. Running from the pain, the responsibility that now fell on his shoulders, the sinking feeling of being alone in the world again.

_You promised_._ You promised you wouldn't leave me until I was ready!_

He heard them falling behind, shouting for him to wait, but he couldn't. He wouldn't. He continued into the trees, taking turns at random, trying to be sure they couldn't follow him. A foot caught on a protruding root and he tripped, throwing out his arms to steady himself but tumbling head over heels down a hill.

When he reached the bottom, he lay still, breathing hard, in deep, shuddering breaths. _I can't cry_ . . . _I can't! I've got to be strong_, he told himself, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. _I'm on my own now. I can't afford to be weak!_ He sat up, scrubbing at his eyes, looking around as his hands lowered hesitantly. He'd never seen this part of the island before. Just where had he ended up?

There was a small pool of water to his left, lined with raised stones, at perhaps knee-height, a path—or at least, a relatively clear trail—circling around either side to the top of the hill. He could see the root at the top that he'd fallen over, leading to a tree that stood watch over the pool, looking somehow proud and protecting. From the tree was relatively straight drop down, rocks covered with moss and other foliage hiding the source of the water that was falling into it. As he looked into the pool, looking at his dirtied, tearstreaked face, he realised that it had been built by someone. However, he had never heard anyone speak of it, and judging by all the weeds that were growing between the cracks in the rock, it had been abandoned for a long while.

He held out his hands, studying them, examining the wrinkles of the knuckles and the dirt under his nails. After a long moment, he plunged them into the waters of the pool, gasping slightly at the shock of the cold, then starting to scrub them clean of soil. It was a new start; a release from his childish side.

He wasn't a child any longer.

From the hands, his washing progressed to his arms and face, to his neck and chest. His clothes were sopping, but he paid little attention as he splashed water over his hair. He frowned at his reflection as the water dripped from the ends of short-cut silver locks; he still _looked_ like a child. He sighed in defeat, dropping his head into his arms, sitting on his knees with his arms resting on the stones.

He wasn't sure how long he remained there, but when a hand brushed his shoulder gently, his head whipped around, meeting surprised blue eyes. 'What?' he growled, instantly wishing his tone had been gentler.

'I was looking for you,' was the response. Quiet. Prying. 'We both were.'

'And here I am.' He gestured to himself, then turned back to the pool. 'You found me. Congratulations.'

'Would you _stop_ that?' There was a cracking sound, like someone was stamping their foot into the dry leaves.

'Stop what?' He muttered, knowing what was meant, but not wanting to listen to it.

'Stop being so . . . so . . . so distant!' his friend finally cried, poking his shoulder. 'It isn't like you. And I don't want to see you acting like that. Okay?'

He didn't answer.

There was a sigh next to him, and a warm weight leaned against him. He felt her forehead leaning against his shoulder, and almost without thinking, he allowed her to take his hands, to run her fingers over the rough, calloused skin, bringing them to her lips. He stared into his lap listlessly, eyes hollowly gazing downward, even when her worried expression filled his vision.

By the time he realised what was happening, it was too late. She had already risen, quickly joining her lips to his. They were soft, as his mother's had once been, but this kiss was so much more than a gentle kiss good-night. His eyes closed, his shoulders relaxing; she was settling almost into his lap, her fingers intertwined through his. He moved to deepen the kiss, but she pulled back from him suddenly, kissing his forehead once more as she stood. 'I'll leave you,' she relented. 'But . . . just remember, I'm always here for you, Riku. _We're_ always here for you. We're your friends.'

And Kairi was gone, footsteps crunching on the dry leaves on the ground, leaving Riku to think about what she'd just said, to ponder her final words:

'And I love you . . .'


End file.
